Compacts are used primarily by women to store a variety of cosmetics and toiletry articles. Small cases structurally and functionally similar to the typical compact also are employed by both men and women to store pens, pencils, calculators, pads of paper, tobacco products and lighters.
Most available compacts are able to store only a very small number of related articles. One of the more commonly used compacts merely includes a base portion which houses a particular type of cosmetic and a hinged top which houses a mirror. The mirror can be used for a variety of personal grooming functions, and is particularly adapted to facilitate the application of the cosmetic. Many women carry at least one such prior art compact with them at all times, along with a plurality of containers which store related cosmetic and toiletry articles. For example, a woman may carry a compact in which a powder base and a mirror are housed. A second compact may also be carried in which eye shadow, rouge and other such products are stored. Several smaller containers may also be carried for mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, perfume, cologne and other related toiletry articles.
Desirably all containers for toiletry articles should be sufficiently small to enable one or more of the containers to be carried in the woman's handbag. The small size also facilitates the easy manipulation of the container in environments where the woman is not afforded the luxury of spreading the containers out on a dressing table, sink top or such. The small size of the containers should not, however, affect the ability to obtain access to the cosmetic or toiletry articles stored therein.
Among the many known compact designs, one rather recent design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,935 which issued to Napolitane on June 21, 1983. The compact shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,935 is a hingeless structure including a base in which a plurality of cosmetic articles are placed and a cover which slideably envelopes at least part of the base structure.
Other compacts are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,453,563 which issued to Albert; U.S. Pat. No. 1,837,722 which issued to McAtree; U.S. Pat. No. 1,875,541 which issued to Zell; U.S. Pat. No. 2,031,933 which issued to Klegg; U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,891 which issued to Sharma; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,918 which issued to Neumann et al. Several of the above identified patents show compacts having a plurality of separate compartments. This attempt to develop compacts having several compartments reflects the recognized desire to minimize the number of separate containers that must be carried about to carryout personal grooming functions. More particularly, to the extent that a compact can consolidate the various products required to attend to one's personal grooming needs, the less cluttered the woman's pocketbook is likely to be.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a compact that can easily store a plurality of cosmetic, toiletry, and other articles.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a compact that is sufficiently small to be easily fit in a woman's pocketbook and to be easily manipulated during use.
It is an additional object of the subject invention to provide a compact that will securely retain the plurality of articles stored therein.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a compact that enables easy access to each of the articles stored therein.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a compact that is aesthetically attractive.
It is still an additional object of the subject invention to provide a compact that readily can accept interchangeable inserts to replace items that have been completely used and to vary the assortment of articles that will be carried on any particular day.